Broward County is No Longer Prosecuting Small Amounts of Pot

Broward County in Florida is reforming its marijuana possession policies.

The Sun Sentinel reported that the Broward State Attorney’s Office rolled out a new rule now requiring a 3-gram minimum for marijuana possession cases. This is a new standard used to substantially reduce the number of drug prosecutions in the Broward County area.

In the memo penned by Assistant State Attorney Jeff Marcus, it stated, “We are requiring a three-gram minimum net weight for the prosecution of all misdemeanor cannabis cases.”

Defense lawyers praised these new rules.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” said Broward Public Defender Howard Finkelstein, who is also retiring next year. “Too many people are in jail or prison right now for minor offenses.”

Other defense lawyers such as Joseph Kimok and Teresa Williams, who are candidates for a Broward State Attorney seat, echoed these sentiments.

“These offenses should not be prosecuted at all,” declared Kimok. “These are people whose lives are being affected forever for the most minor infractions. There are better ways to handle the issue.”

This case shows that there is potential for drug reform in red states that may not be as receptive towards immediate drug legalization.

LCN previously covered how counties across Texas are no longer prosecuting small amounts of drug possession.

This presents a viable entry point for drug reform activists in certain states.